%20(1).jpg?width=2800&height=2240&name=Abney_Tamara-33036eCC%20(2)%20(1).jpg)
SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS SUMMIT
AGENDA & RECORDINGS
-
WELCOME REMARKS 9 AM
WELCOME REMARKS
AJ Drexler
CEO of Entrepreneurs ForeverAJ Drexler, CEO of Entrepreneurs Forever, welcomes attendees to the Small Business Success Summit, sharing her personal business journey and highlighting the power of peer groups that have helped businesses grow by over 50% in just two years. She encourages attendees to take advantage of the Summit’s resources and explore joining the program, made possible at no cost through the support of Senator Casey and the SBA.
-
GUEST SPEAKER 9 AM
SIMON HUNTLEY
CEO of Harvie (he/him)
Listen to his story and ask questions!Be inspired and ask questions as our special guest, Simon Huntley, shares his entrepreneurial journey as the founder of Harvie, a farm-share CSA that now partners with over 250 farms.
-
INTERACTIVE SESSION 9:50 AM
WORKSHOPS PART 1
Breakout sessions led by our superstar facilitators! Choose to work on (1) Vision (2) Money (3) Sales/Marketing
Choose one of these breakout sessions to focus on growing your business:
Vision: Explore what your business will look like in three years and how you'll get there through a Vivid Vision exercise. Consider what resources and connections you'll need to achieve your goals.
Money: Brainstorm new revenue streams with the group and explore innovative ways to enhance your business model.
Sales/Marketing: Learn how to maximize networking opportunities to meet your business goals and identify who you want to connect with to make the most out of networking events. -
HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES 9:50 AM
HOW ENTREPRENEURS FOREVER HELPS
Learn more about our mission and impactIn this segment, presented by Entrepreneurs Forever, we’ll explore the challenges small business owners face today and share our program's impact data. We'll also delve into why peer learning is a powerful tool for helping business owners grow. This session is specifically designed for local organizations looking to better understand and support these efforts.
-
INTERACTIVE SESSION 2 10:35 AM
WORKSHOPS PART 2
Breakout sessions led by our superstar facilitators! Choose to work on (1) Operations (2) Growth (3) Talent
Choose one of these breakout sessions to focus on growing your business:
Operations: Build a one-page Operations Manual in this crash course on creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Perfect for streamlining your business operations.
Growth: Explore how to work cooperatively for mutual benefit through collaborations, partnerships, and referrals. Learn to create win-win arrangements that can drive growth for your business.
Talent: Evaluate how you’re spending your time and consider if delegating tasks could be more strategic. Discover how to leverage outside resources to optimize your time and talent.
-
LIVE PANEL 10:35 AM
REPORT FROM THE FIELD
Live panel discussion wit Barãta A Bey – President of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania and Brian Slawin – Director & Portfolio Manager, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern PA.
Barãta and Brian will dive into the challenges and opportunities facing small businesses in the region. You’ll hear insights on how we can all support small business success in Western PA.
Vision Worksheet
Envision your business three years from now: its location, appearance, team members, key products or services, and customer base. Define your role and identify the people who will help you achieve this vision. Consider how to find and collaborate with these individuals to build a stronger, more successful team.
Download
Money Worksheet
This Revenue Streams Worksheet allows you to analyze your current business's revenue sources by assessing their profitability and satisfaction levels. It also helps you identify and evaluate potential new revenue opportunities, including their profitability and necessary action steps for further exploration.
Download
Networking Worksheet
This Networking Worksheet helps you define your networking objectives and messaging, identifying the goals you want to achieve and the types of people or businesses you want to connect with. It also guides you in selecting effective networking tactics, such as LinkedIn, online communities, events, and influencers, to help you reach your specific goals.
Download
Operations Worksheet
This Operations Worksheet helps you evaluate and improve your business processes by documenting current workflows and identifying necessary tools and improvements. Focus on making processes easier, faster, and simpler for clients, and outline your action steps. Apply these insights and process maps to all areas of your business needing enhancement.
Download
Growth Worksheet
This Collaboration Worksheet helps you identify ideal partners and set clear goals for collaborations, such as expanding capacity or reaching new markets. Reflect on successful partnerships you've observed and brainstorm ideas to pursue that align with your business objectives.
Download
Time/Talent Worksheet
Track your daily activities and assess how you allocate your time between Sales, Production, and Operations. Evaluate what you excel at and find satisfying, and consider ways to delegate or outsource tasks to improve efficiency. Options include utilizing existing employees, hiring part-time or full-time staff, working with contractors or virtual assistants, engaging experts, or bringing on interns. Reflect on what tasks could be eliminated and note any additional ideas or action items for optimization.
Download